pain or death
by Mereryan
Summary: follows the season 1 finale - Max is dead but Michael is known to be stubborn, and he'll be damned if he gives up on his family. (Malex)


**It's not much but... I was inspired.**

* * *

It began raining as soon as Max Evans died.

Time stopped for Michael and Isobel.

Back at the Wild Pony, Michael, who had been playing the guitar, felt a sharp pain that left him breathless. The guitar slipped out of his hands, while he grunted in pain in the chair he sat on. He hardly ever felt this kind of pain from his siblings because Max and Isobel were the ones who were almost tethered to one another for whatever reason. The only way he would ever feel that way is if something bad – _really bad_ – had happened to one of them. And what scared him the most is the fact that he knew – he _knew_ – which one of his siblings had done something _so_ bad that he would feel it with such an intensity.

Michael couldn't find the strengh to breathe, it was like something was stuck inside him, something that was putting pressure around his lungs, around his heart, around his head.

"Max", he gasped.

Maria finally seemed to notice the pain he was in and went over to him.

"Guerin? Guerin, what's wrong?"

"S-something's wrong with Max", he painfully says.

"What? How would you know that?"

"I need to find, Max."

He stumbled out of the chair and barely standing, went straight for the door, before being stopped on his tracks by DeLuca, running to block the door.

"Tell me what's wrong! You look like you're about to barf !"

"I swear to God DeLuca, move ."

"Not until you tell me what's going on! What happened to Max?"

_God fucking dammit_, he thought. He was tempted to throw a witty comment in her face but he knew he would regret it because he was on edge at the moment and that his emotions were raw. He could literally feel his powers bubbling inside him and from the corner of his eye, he could see furniture begin to levitate, which meant trouble if he didn't calm _the_ _fuck_ down. Almost like on cue, the door of the Wild Pony burst open and Alex stumbled inside, Michael's name on his lips. He looked … empty. And kind of angry, not that Michael could blame him. After waiting for hours near Michael's trailer, Alex had received a call from an extremely terrified Liz who had told him what happened. He was already in his car before she could even utter the word 'help'. On his way to the cave, he happened to see Michael's truck outside the Wild Pony and he just... _knew_. And he began to wonder where his feelings had brought him in the end? To war. To battles that left him broken and scarred. He stopped the car nevertheless and all but ran to the door, knowing that if someone deserved to know about Max, it should be him. He had not planned however, to see him as soon as he opened the door. Michael looked in pain, sweating and out of breath.

"Guerin. We gotta go. Something happened to Max."

Michael didn't need to be told twice, he took a step towards Alex just as Maria interrupted.

"I'm coming with you", she said.

"No, you're not", cut in the soldier.

"Like hell I'm not ! Max is my friend too, and if something happened to him, I wanna help!"

Alex turned to Michael who was looking at him straight in the eyes. In an almost imperceptible motion, Alex shook his head to indicate what type of problem they were facing. The type that couldn't be explained. The alien type. Michael readjusted his hat and headed towards the door.

"Sorry DeLuca, I'm afraid this is a family matter. I'll call you."

They ran out the door without waiting for her response.

"We're taking my car, it will be faster", said Alex.

Michael didn't protest.

"What happened to Max?! It was so painful I almost fainted !"

"Liz didn't give me the specifics ! But it seems that it's bad enough to call me for help."

"Why not call Valenti then?"

"Kyle's not answering his phone. No one knows where he's at."

The conversation ended here. Alex was holding the steering wheel so tightly that his knucles had started to turn white and Michael could almost feel him seeth in anger. He was upset that's for sure, you'd have to be blind not to see it. Michael tried an approach at one point during the ride...

"Alex... "

"Not now."

He knew better than to try and talk things out.

When they arrived at the cave, Isobel was already there. When she felt Michael arrive, she ran out of the cave and threw herself at him the moment he got out of the car. It was just so much. Her eyes were red and she could barely form words because she felt like she could not breathe. Michael hugged her and he knew, he knew that what happened was not something that was fixable. It was not something that could be fixed with a band-aid and a kiss. From the corner of his eye, he saw Alex head toward the entrance of the cave where Liz was waiting with ... Rosa. Michael let go of Isobel before almost charging toward them. Isobel tried to catch up to him by grabbing his elbow but he shrugged her off.

"I knew this would happen. I _knew_ it. We told him, Isobel, but he didn't listen! I didn't even see him yet and I know what I'm going to find if I go in there. I'm going to find his dead _fucking_ body!"

"Michael, you need to calm down."

"Calm down?" he laughed, "_Calm down_?! My brother is fucking dead !"

Without even meaning to, he sent _everyone_ flying out of his way and they ended up on the ground with a thud whereas a breathless Michael made his way inside the cave.

He was there and he was dead. But Michael wasn't reading to accept that.

"No way in hell I'm letting you go. You saved my life. I'm dragging you back even if it means killing myself to do it.


End file.
